For the Pro Women, competition remains tight in both the Boston Store/Younkers Overall and Oarsman Capital Cat 2 Amateur Omnimums. Entering the day’s 60 minutes, just four points separated Sam Schneider (Team TIBCO) and Erica Allar (Colavita-Fine Cooking), with only 10 between Schneider and Fearless Femme Tina Pic. In the Cat 2 Amateur competition, Skylar Schneider had just four points of breathing room ahead of Laura Jorgenson (Mellow Mushroom).

Both fields demonstrated their days of rest were over as excitable energy was prevalent. Starla Teddergreen (Cloud Racing) launched out of the gate with two laps in before the field calmed to form a break. The super squad of three – Jorgensen, Amy Phillips (Pepper Palace) and Mandy Heintz (Fearless Femme) had a gap north of 30 seconds just twenty minutes in, which grew to 40 seconds by the midway point. Nicole Mertz (ISCorp), Shelby Reynolds (Monster Media) and Diana Penuala (Specialized Colombia), all stopped at the prime bank but the interest needle didn’t even move for the break’s cash toss-out. The gap down to 21 seconds with six remaining, Liza Rachetto (Vanderkitten) was making moves as the crowd began to line the boards.

The pivotal move with three to go would establish the tone and tempo of the race’s end. Jorgensen and Heintz attached Phillips on the backside of the course as Joanne Kiesanowski (TIBCO), a familiar name in the past week, took over Phillips spot. Sprint ability put to the test, it was all Heintz for the win, with Jorgensen and Allar rounding out the podium’s climb atop second and third steps, respectively.

Sam Schneider’s Overall lead in the Boston Store/Younkers omnium competition was shaved by one, leaving just four points of separation between her and Allar. Four points also separate Skylar Schneider and Jorgensen in the Cat 2 Amateur contest. Team TIBCO is the runaway winner in the Smart Choice MRI Pro Team Omnium competition.

Breaks of two, breaks of 15, attacks, chases, sitbacks…rinse, wash, repeat…for much of the Men’s race. Holloway, Alexander Ray (Hincapie) and Morris (Team Clif Bar) all surged for more face time ahead of the field before an appreciative crowd. Colton Barrett (Athlete Octane) continued to play the role of the cleaner, sucking up most of the cash thrown out.

A major tangle near the SRAM pit left several riders standing roadside for several laps including Krous (Astellas), Pimentel (Foundation) and teammates Ratzell and Haas (Airgas). Reshuffled, a solid break of Williams (Astellas), Holloway and Garibay (Predator) formed before massive resets and prime pick-ups. The race was neutralized temporarily after a scuffle just past Start/Finish with 16 to go. Gravel brushed and rash prominent, the race soon recalibrated with Team Clif Bar pounding. Athelte Octane plotting. And Astellas, crushing the front part of the field in 1-2-3-4-5 as 4 laps remained.

Taking it to the line, Holloway nipped Williams for the win with Williams’ Astellas teammate Feehery securing third. Holloway stays in the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Yellow Overall Leader Jersey and was joined on stage with Athlete Octane teammates for recognition as the Smart Choice MRI Pro Team Omnium Leader.

Tour of America’s Dairyland presented by Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board continues Saturday with the beyond awesome ISCorp Downer Classic, home of the Ben’s Super Prime for Pro Men and Pro Women. All said and done, in excess of $10,000 in cash primes will be awarded to Pro Men and Pro Women during the highly anticipated Downer race. Substantial primes courtesy of ISCorp and Colectivo Coffee, among others, will keep all categories throughout the day well energized. The 2014 ISCorp Downer Classic promises to be one of the most amazing days of racing that Downer Avenue has ever seen.